Pedal box for vehicle etc

ABSTRACT

A pedal box for a vehicle (V), comprises a pedal (E) pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a pedal pin (PP) carried by the pedal box, so as to have, beyond each side of the pedal pivot (PP), a lower pedal part carrying a footpad (FP), and an upper pedal part; an abutment surface (S) provided in or on the upper pedal part and so located with respect to the pedal pivot axis (PP) that the abutment surface (S) is beyond a top dead centre position of the pedal pivot (PP) at the driver/passenger compartment (PC) side; and an activation device (C, D) adapted, in use, to be secured between a portion (Q) of the vehicle (V) designed to deform upon frontal impact, and a portion (P) of the vehicle (V) designed for minimal deformation upon frontal impact and, upon activation, to engage the abutment surface (S) such that the upper pedal part is rotated towards the driver/passenger compartment (PC), and the lower pedal part is rotated away from the driver/passenger compartment (PC).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a pedal box for a vehicle, being a unitwhich houses and/or supports, for pivotal movement, both a clutch and abrake pedal, but clearly may house or support only a brake pedal inrespect of a vehicle with an automatic gearbox, and to a vehicleprovided with such a pedal box.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] With improvements in other aspects of passive safety in passengervehicles, the desire to minimise secondary injuries to both passengersand drivers in the event of an accident, has increased, and presence ofat least a brake pedal, and usually a clutch pedal, both with foot padsfrequently leads to lower limb injuries in a frontal crash situation ofsufficient magnitude.

[0003] Object of the Invention

[0004] A basic object of the invention is to provide a pedal box for avehicle in which, in the event of a frontal impact accident, lower limbinjuries to drivers caused by foot operated pedals is reduced oreliminated.

SUMMARY OF A FIRST ASPECT OF THE INVENTION

[0005] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided apedal box for a vehicle, the pedal box comprising:

[0006] (i) a pedal pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a pedalpin carried by the pedal box, so as to have, beyond each side of thepedal pivot, a lower pedal part carrying a footpad, and an upper pedalpart;

[0007] (ii) an abutment surface provided in or on the upper pedal partand so located with respect to the pedal pivot axis that the abutmentsurface is beyond a top dead centre position of the pedal pivot at thedriver/passenger compartment side; and

[0008] (iii) an activation device adapted, in use, to be secured betweena portion of the vehicle designed to deform upon frontal impact, and aportion of the vehicle designed for minimal deformation upon frontalimpact and, upon activation, to engage the abutment surface such thatthe upper pedal part is rotated towards the driver/passengercompartment, and the lower pedal part is rotated away from thedriver/passenger compartment.

[0009] Preferred or Optional Features of the First Aspect

[0010] The abutment surface is constituted by the bottom of a “V” or“U”-shaped groove or slot. If constituted by a slot, the latter ispreferably arcuate

[0011] In one embodiment the activation device is constituted by a firstcomponent of a two component activation device being normally biassed toan inactive position and adapted, in use, to be secured to a portion ofthe vehicle designed for minimal deformation upon frontal impact, andcomprising first and second linearly spaced-apart pins, the first pin,in the inactive position of the activation device, being located within,e.g. the arcuate slot with clearance to permit unimpeded movement of thepedal about its pivot, with the axis of the first pin being locatedcloser to the driver/passenger compartment than the axis of the pedalpivot, with the second pin located closer to the engine compartment thanthe first pin, whilst the second component of the two componentactivation device comprises a cam member adapted, in use, to be securedto a portion of the vehicle designed to deform upon frontal impact, witha cam surface normally engaging the second pin, wherein, movement of thesecond component towards the first component eventually causes the firstpin to strike the arcuate slot thereby rotating the upper pedal parttowards the driver/passenger compartment, and the lower pedal parttowards the engine compartment.

[0012] The means to bias the first component of the activation device toan inactive position is a spring, preferably a coil spring used intension or in compression.

[0013] The arcuate slot is open ended adjacent the engine compartment.

[0014] The first component of the activation device incorporates a pivotpin, generally intermediate the first and second pins, about which pivotpin the first component may rotate, upon frontal impact, until such timeas the clearance between the first pin and the arcuate slot iseliminated, and the first pin strikes the arcuate slot, to commencerotation of the lower pedal part away from the driver/passengercompartment and hence the driver.

[0015] In another embodiment, the activation device comprises adeformable inverted “V”-member, preferably of metal, with the memberbeing straightened, or generally straightened, in a frontal impactsituation with the relative lengthening of the member resulting inrelative movement between said portion that is designed to deform andsaid portion designed for minimal deformation, and in pedal rotation toa safety position.

[0016] Summary of a Second Aspect of the Invention

[0017] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provideda motor vehicle comprising a pedal box in accordance with the firstaspect, with the pedal box secured to a portion of the vehicle that isdesigned to deform or crumple and move towards the driver in the eventof a frontal impact, with the second component of the activation deviceconnected to a portion of the vehicle that is designed for minimaldeformation upon frontal impact and to remain stable in the event of afrontal impact.

[0018] Preferred or Optional Features of the Second Aspect

[0019] The pedal box comprises a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls.

[0020] A journal for opposite ends of the pedal pivot is provided ineach sidewall on a common axis, the pedal pivot spanning the sidewallsand being pivotally located in the journals.

[0021] The minimal deformation portion is a cross-beam or cowl of thevehicle.

[0022] The designed to deform portion is the dash of the vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Two embodiments of pedal box and vehicle in accordance with thefirst and second aspects of the invention are illustrateddiagrammatically in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings which areboth side elevations of first and second embodiments of the pedal box inaccordance with the first aspect, mounted in a vehicle in accordancewith the second aspect.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In the embodiment of FIG. 1 a pedal box pivotally supports atleast a foot brake pedal (F) (and usually a clutch pedal, not shown)having a foot pad (FP) for rotation about a pivot pin (PP). To the leftof the pedal box is engine compartment (EC), and to the right ispassenger compartment (PC).

[0025] In FIG. 1 the various components are illustrated in “normaloperation” positions. In a frontal crash situation, when cam (D)attached to a main bracket (M) in turn attached to a portion (Q) of thevehicle (V) designed, upon frontal impact, to deform, the main bracket(M) moves upwards and readwards relative to top mount (B) secured to aportion (P) of the vehicle (V) designed for minimal deformation uponfrontal impact, and pin (F) moves along the face (I) of cam (D) engagingpin (G) in a slot(s) in pedal (F) under load from member (A) When pin(P) passes point (H) the load from the pedal (E) locks member (C) inplace and holds the pedal (E) in retracted position.

[0026] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, member (A), which is again attachedto a portion (P) of the vehicle (V) intended for minimal deformationupon frontal impact, is moved, relatively down and to the left, aninverted metal “V”-member (MM) is straightened, forcing the pedal (E) torotate clockwise and hence retract the pedal portion away from thedriver/passenger compartment (PC), by contact at abutment surface (C).Once the metal member (MM) is deformed load on point (C) of pedal (E) ismaintained.

What we claim is:
 1. A pedal box for a vehicle having a front enginecompartment and a driver/passenger compartment, said pedal box having afront portion intended, when installed in a vehicle, to be remote fromsaid driver/passenger compartment, and a rear portion intended to beadjacent said driver/passenger compartment, said pedal box comprising:(i) a pedal pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a pedal pincarried by said pedal box, so as to have, beyond each side of said pedalpivot, a lower pedal part carrying a footpad, and an upper pedal part;(ii) an abutment surface provided in or on said upper pedal part and solocated with respect to said pedal pivot axis that said abutment surfaceis beyond a top dead centre position of said pedal pivot at saiddriver/passenger compartment side; and (iii) an activation deviceadapted, in use, to be secured between a portion of said vehicledesigned to deform upon frontal impact, and a portion of said vehicledesigned for minimal deformation upon frontal impact and, uponactivation, to engage said abutment surface such that said upper pedalpart is rotated towards said driver/passenger compartment, and saidlower pedal part is rotated away from said driver/passenger compartment.2. A pedal box as claimed in claim I, wherein said abutment surface isconstituted by the bottom of a “V” or “U”-shaped groove or slot.
 3. Apedal box as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said slot embodiment, saidslot is arcuate.
 4. A pedal box as claimed in claim 4 , wherein saidactivation device is constituted by a first component, of a twocomponent activation device, being normally biassed to an inactiveposition and adapted, in use, to be secured to a portion of said vehicledesigned for minimal deformation upon frontal impact, and comprisingfirst and second linearly spaced-apart pins, said first pin, in saidinactive position of said activation device, being located withclearance to permit unimpeded movement of said pedal about its pivot,with the axis of said first pin being located closer to saiddriver/passenger compartment than said axis of said pedal pivot, withsaid second pin located closer to a compartment for said front enginethan said first pin, whilst said second component of said two componentactivation device comprises a cam member adapted, in use, to be securedto a portion of said vehicle designed to deform upon frontal impact,with a cam surface normally engaging said second pin, wherein, movementof said second component towards said first component eventually causessaid first pin to strike said arcuate slot thereby rotating said upperpedal part towards said driver/passenger compartment, and said lowerpedal part towards said engine compartment.
 5. A pedal box as claimed inclaim 4 wherein said means to bias said first component of saidactivation device to an inactive position is a spring, preferably a coilspring, used in tension or in compression.
 6. A pedal box as claimed inclaim 4 , wherein said first pin is located within said arcuate slotwhich is open ended adjacent said engine compartment.
 7. A pedal box asclaimed in claim 4 , wherein said first component of said activationdevice incorporates a pivot pin, generally intermediate said first andsecond pins, about which pivot pin said first component is rotatable,upon frontal impact, until such time as the clearance between said firstpin and said arcuate slot is eliminated, and said first pin strikes saidarcuate slot, to commence rotation of said lower pedal part away fromsaid driver/passenger compartment.
 8. A pedal box as claimed in claim 1wherein said activation device comprises a deformable, inverted“V”-member, preferably of metal, with said member being straightened, orgenerally straightened, in a frontal impact situation with the relativelengthening of said member resulting in relative movement between saidportion designed to deform and said portion designed for minimaldeformation upon frontal impact, and in pedal rotation to a safetyposition.
 9. A motor vehicle having a front engine and adriver/passenger compartment, said vehicle comprising a pedal box inaccordance with claim 1 with a pedal box secured to a portion of saidvehicle that is designed to deform and move towards the driver in theevent of a frontal impact, with the second component of the activationdevice connected to a portion of said vehicle that is designed forminimal deformation upon frontal impact and to remain stable in theevent of a frontal impact.
 10. A motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9 ,wherein said pedal box comprises a pair or spaced-apart sidewalls.
 11. Amotor vehicle as claimed in claim 10 , wherein a journal for oppositeends of a pedal pivot is provided in each of said sidewalls on a commonaxis, said pedal pivot spanning said sidewalls and being pivotallylocated in said journals.
 12. A motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9 ,wherein said minimal deformation portion is a cross-beam or cowl of saidvehicle.
 13. A motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9 , wherein saidportion designed to deform is a dash of said vehicle.